It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has exceeded our humanity. - Albert Einstein

With the advent of modern technology, I find myself ironically more & more disconnected with the world. Not that I don't love modern methods of communication, I spend more time on the internet than on my bed regrettably; also, I do like gadgets such as my valued, precious Itouch (keeps the auditory chaos from the public transport crowd out of mind). However, my stubborn refusal to change my cell phone to those with touch-screen and qwerty keypads serve to remind me that I have a secret rebellious self... the rebel that is struggling against a lost cause, fighting the invisible qwerty keypad war (the inQ phone is so damn cute, I'm finding it harder to resist).

Just a week ago, I accidentally drowned my old-school anti-touch screen, anti-qwerty keypad phone in the pail which I soaked my jacket. Upon realising my folly, I gingerly waltzed into the bathroom, fished out my jacket, reached into the pocket for my drowned cell. Instead of being majorly pissed with myself (imagine the lost contacts, messages, data...), I felt only 1 emotion: Liberation. I went ahead and placed the cellphone to dry on my dressing table & slept without setting the alarm. No disturbed sleep from a random sms tone or call = Pure bliss. The next day, my phone didn't work so I proceeded to borrow my mum's unused old-school cell and made do with it... it is not a qwerty or touch-screen, but I could call & sms, & besides, it fit into any pocket with ease...so no complaints! A poignant thought also washed over me as I spent what was as little as 15 minutes to get my "new" phone set up...I was totally unenthusiastic, because I knew my cellphone had now only served me as a technological necessity. Sms, get a reply, sms again. My phone seldom ever rings, it is usually just smses, lots of them. Then it brought me to memories from 12 years ago where I didn't own a cell, so every night, I would ring my friends up and spend hours on the phone yakking about everything under the sun. Thinking of this made me miss hearing voices in general. I made a personal promise to attempt to call more often to anyone who pops into my mind at any random moment, from my new cell. However, I find that my little experiment don't always yield anticipated results...people just usually sms "what's up?", "you called?" or sometimes I don't even get any acknowledgment (-_-").

So imagine my pleasant surprise when my Italian friend called today from the other side of the world and I happened to answer (I don't usually answer to unknown or withheld numbers). The vibration of his vocal cords being transmitted through the numerous wires; the timbre and tone of his voice chiming along, wishing me a happy Easter; his pure and sincere laughter and voice...it was like my friend was right beside me, whispering in my ear...he wasn't physically here, but it was as close as I could get. I yakked & I talked nonsense, I laughed and shared a precious moment with my friend, & I was happy.

Inspired, I picked up the phone hours later and dialed a call to my Thai friend, while I was taking a break from preparing my project slides...anticipation mounting with each ring. When he finally picked up the call, we could hear the mutual excitement in each other's voice. We quickly filled each other in about recent events and the call ended with us promising to visit each other soon (ahhhh, my Samui getaway...). There was a lot of laughter and connection, & even though it was just a mere 15 minutes, the real emotion and satisfaction it channeled achieved a mountain as compared to the molehill facade a 160-character sms generates.

Pity this, along with all things old-school (such as snail mails which I still believe a lot in) had eroded to bare ruins with our impatience, impassiveness & need for instant gratification.